"Sarah Pownall, William Parker's neighbor from down the lane and wife of his landlord, stopped by and tried to convince him that If the slave holders should come, not to lead the colored people to resist by force of arms, but to escape to Canada .... Pacifism makes sense for whites, Parker responded to his Quaker neighbor; the law and the courts do not work for black people, and a man can only run so far."

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In the fall of 1847 the members of Sadsbury Friends Meeting, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania appointed a committe of twelve, six men and six women, to draw up a letter stating their position on the issue of slavery. This letter was to be sent to other meetings with the hope that it would encourage them to take a similar stand.

We believe that the spirit of our righteous testimonies, faithfully carried out, would lead to the enquiry, how far we are partakers in other men's sins, by the free use of the produce of the unrequited toil of the slave; and whether we are not "striking hands with the oppressor," when we lend our support to a government that sanctions and perpetuates his wrongs.

Our purity is always endangered admidst moral corruption; dwelling, as we have been under the blighting influence of this great injustice, our moral vision has been measurably obscured, our sensibilities blunted, and our prejudices increased; so that we do not see the depth of the enormity of this wickedness, but to some extent, with the Priest and Levite, pass by our fellow beings who have fallen amongst thieves, and whose blood, and sweat, and tears are calling to us from the ground, to arise in the might of the great principle of truth, and labor for the immediate and unconditional overthrow of this system.

The efforts now making, as we believe, for its extension in the horrors and atrocities of the Mexican War, call renewedly upon us to examine the ground on which we stand. We claim to be an Anti-slavery Society; - are we not resting satisfied with a name to live? "Let us strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die;" believing the more reputedly good men are, the more dangerous to human progress do they become, when by their silence, or otherwise, they sanction that which is evil.

We believe a responsibility therefore rests on us to enter into an individual examination, how far "we are guilty concerning our brother in that we see the anquish of his soul and will not hear him;" and how far our conduct towards him has been governed by that test of action, "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."